Every Serbian word has a root (koren) that carries the core meaning. Attaching a different suffix (nastavak) to that root creates a new word. This is how one idea like počet- (“begin”) grows into a whole family:
počet-+-ak→početakthe beginning (a thing)
počet-+-nik→početnika beginner (a person)
počet-+-ni→početniinitial (an adjective)
Not the same as case endings! Changing početnik → početnika (genitive) is declension — the same word doing a different job in the sentence. Changing početak → početnik is derivation — a brand-new word with its own meaning and its own seven case forms. See the Declension Guide for case endings.
Common endings and what they make
| Ending | Makes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -nik, -ac, -ar, -ač | a person who does it | radnik worker · prodavac seller · ribar fisherman · igrač player |
| -telj | a person (often formal roles) | učitelj teacher · gostitelj host |
| -ica, -nica | female person, or a place/thing | početnica beginner (f) · radionica workshop · igračka toy |
| -ara | a shop | cvećara flower shop · pekara bakery |
| -anje, -enje | the activity itself | učenje learning · trčanje running · lečenje treatment |
| -stvo | abstract quality or community | prijateljstvo friendship · kraljevstvo kingdom |
| -ni, -an, -ski | an adjective | početni initial · zubni dental · bolestan sick · prijateljski friendly |
| -iti, -ati | a verb | raditi to work · cvetati to bloom · graditi to build |
20 word families
The root is blue, the added ending is purple. Read across each card to see one root become several words.
1počet-“begin”
| početak | noun | the beginning |
| početnik | noun | beginner (m) |
| početnica | noun | beginner (f) |
| početni | adj | initial, first |
2rad-“work”
| rad | noun | work |
| radnik | noun | worker |
| radionica | noun | workshop |
| raditi | verb | to work |
3uč-“learn”
| učiti | verb | to learn / to teach |
| učenik | noun | pupil, student |
| učitelj | noun | teacher |
| učenje | noun | learning, studying |
4pis-“write”
| pisati | verb | to write |
| pisac | noun | writer, author |
| pismo | noun | a letter |
| pisaći | adj | writing (pisaći sto — desk) |
5igra-“play”
| igra | noun | a game |
| igrati | verb | to play |
| igrač | noun | player |
| igračka | noun | a toy |
6prod-“sell”
| prodavati | verb | to sell |
| prodavac | noun | seller, salesman |
| prodavnica | noun | a shop |
| prodaja | noun | sale, selling |
7rib-“fish”
| riba | noun | fish |
| ribar | noun | fisherman |
| ribolov | noun | fishing (the activity) |
| ribica | noun | little fish |
8voz-“drive, carry”
| voziti | verb | to drive |
| vozač | noun | driver |
| vožnja | noun | a ride, a drive |
| vozilo | noun | a vehicle |
9trk- / trč-“run”
| trčati | verb | to run |
| trka | noun | a race |
| trkač | noun | runner |
| trčanje | noun | running |
10pošt-“mail”
| pošta | noun | post office |
| poštar | noun | postman |
| poštanski | adj | postal (poštanski broj — post code) |
11lek-“heal”
| lek | noun | medicine |
| lekar | noun | doctor |
| lečiti | verb | to treat, to cure |
| lečenje | noun | treatment, therapy |
12zub-“tooth”
| zub | noun | tooth |
| zubar | noun | dentist |
| zubni | adj | dental (zubna pasta — toothpaste) |
13cvet-“flower”
| cvet | noun | flower |
| cvećar | noun | florist |
| cvećara | noun | flower shop |
| cvetati | verb | to bloom |
14vin-“wine”
| vino | noun | wine |
| vinar | noun | winemaker |
| vinograd | noun | vineyard |
15gost-“guest”
| gost | noun | guest |
| gostitelj | noun | host |
| gostoprimstvo | noun | hospitality |
| ugostiti | verb | to host, to treat |
16prijatelj-“friend”
| prijatelj | noun | friend (m) |
| prijateljica | noun | friend (f) |
| prijateljstvo | noun | friendship |
| prijateljski | adj | friendly |
17kralj-“king”
| kralj | noun | king |
| kraljica | noun | queen |
| kraljevstvo | noun | kingdom |
| kraljevski | adj | royal |
18grad-“city / build”
| grad | noun | city |
| građanin | noun | citizen |
| graditi | verb | to build |
| građevina | noun | a building |
19boles-“ill”
| bolest | noun | illness, disease |
| bolestan | adj | sick, ill |
| bolesnik | noun | patient, sick person |
| boleti | verb | to hurt, to be ill |
20zdrav-“healthy”
| zdrav | adj | healthy |
| zdravlje | noun | health |
| zdravstvo | noun | healthcare |
Watch for small root changes
The root sometimes changes one letter before certain endings — this is regular and predictable, and the family is still recognizable:
| Change | Example |
|---|---|
| t → ć | cvet → cvećar florist |
| d → đ | grad → građanin citizen |
| z → ž | voziti → vožnja a ride |
| k → č | lek → lečiti to treat |
| č ↔ k | trčati → trkač runner |
Why this matters: learning word families multiplies your vocabulary. Once you know rad, you can recognize radnik, radionica and raditi on sight. The endings can also stack: igra → igrač → igračka — a game, a player, a toy.